MAYOR WALSH DEDICATES $1 MILLION IN CITY BUDGET TO ENGAGING YOUTH IN BUDGET PROCESS

MAYOR WALSH DEDICATES 

$1 MILLION IN CITY BUDGET TO ENGAGING YOUTH IN BUDGET PROCESS

Boston Leads Nation in Youth Democratic Engagement

BOSTON — Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the continuation of the Youth Participatory Budgeting Process and the allocation of $1 million to Youth Lead the Change, a youth-led participatory, budgeting vote.

"By engaging our young people in city government, we are training the next generation of leaders to think critically about how government can better serve our residents,” said Mayor Walsh. “I am proud that we will be able to build on last year’s success and continue to give Boston’s youth a voice in their future.”

Last year, young people voted to fund seven winning projects that enhanced community parks, installed security cameras, granted Boston Public Schools Chromebooks, and funded a skateboard feasibility study.

Youth Lead the Change (YLC) is carried out by the Department of Youth Engagement and Employment, in close collaboration with a steering committee comprised of twenty six community and youth serving organizations. The Participatory Budgeting Project facilitates the implementation of participatory budgeting nationwide, and works closely with Youth Lead the Change.

Youth Lead the Change will has hosted several brainstorming sessions for this year’s projects. The following sessions are as follows:

• Thursday, January 29, 4:30 p.m. - Hyde Square Task Force, Jamaica Plain
• Thursday, January 29, 3:30 p.m. - Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, Chinatown

“Many people were surprised by how insightful and responsible our young people are when invited to engage in democracy,” said Shari Davis, Executive Director of the Department of Youth Engagement and Employment. “This process proves that young people are capable and essential in building infrastructure and developing healthy communities.”

Stephen Lafume, a high school student in Boston, participated in YLC and is now engaged in a number of City youth initiatives.

“Last year, I went to an assembly in South Boston at the Condon Community Center to brainstorm ideas,” said Lafume. “I really liked the idea that the Mayor trusted the youth with how to spend a million dollars. Later, I applied to join the Mayor’s Youth Council. I was skeptical at first, but it turned out to be really fun.”

“MassCOSH has had a long and positive relationship with the Department of Youth Engagement and Employment over many years,” said Colleen Armstrong, MassCOSH Steering Committee Member. “Youth Lead the Change was an opportunity for us to deepen that relationship in a new and exciting way.  As an organization, MassCOSH is invested in youth-led programming and hearing youth voices as leaders. YLC is a new, innovative way for our peer leaders and other youth across Boston to have their voices heard and show that they are adept and recognizing and responding to the issues in their communities.”

Ideas can also be submitted through youthleadboston.org or by texting 844-YLC-LEAD. 

Juno過後 麻州處處雪堆如山

昨（廿七）天中國人過“臘八”，麻州人坐困雪城。截至昨日下午六點左右，各地降雪量有的高達35吋，連波士頓都高達20.8吋。

麻州州長呼籲民眾繼續提高警覺。波士頓市，昆士市等許多市鎮，市長都宣佈了今日停課。

地下鐵及巴士等公共交通工具將於今日恢復運行，但民眾須有班次會少，時間會長，路上會遇阻礙等的心理準備。

或許由於各地市鎮早均提前做準備，麻州州長查理貝克（Charlie Baker）又在廿六日晚下令，午夜起路上禁止行車，昨日麻州雖然風大，雪大，不少地方能見度不到一哩，但幾無傷亡報告，倒是有不少人對這場大雪把整個麻州變得一片雪白，感到十分興奮，還出動了雪撬，滑板，在斜坡，馬路上玩了起來。

不少華人也紛紛在臉書，微信上互傳自己拍的白雪堆積如山，或者玩雪的照片。其中一人還量到三十五吋的積雪量。

上任還不到一個月的麻州州長查理貝克，召集了五百名國家衛隊（Massachusetts National Guard）人員協助處理風雪情況，昨日和副州長在傅萊明罕鎮地麻州緊急管理局（FEMA）坐鎮，隔一段時間就向公眾報告最新風雪狀況。昨日中午先宣布取消麻州西部的不准車輛上路禁令，說明慶幸的只有約二百人尋求庇護所，傍晚時又再宣佈路上禁止行車命令將於廿八日凌晨取消，但希望民眾若無必要，這天還是不要出門。州政府員工也將只有約二萬二千名必要工作人員得上班。

查理貝克表示，就如波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Martin Walsh）昨日下午三點多多的，大雪還在不斷飄，鏟雪車連一部分的交通要道都無法把雪鏟清，政府相關部門還有很多工作，人們出門須格外小心。

查理貝克率州府相關人員報告風雪情況時，新任交通長表示，羅根機場今早將恢復運作，但民眾應自行向各航空公司查詢班機的最新情況。

根據國家電網，北星等幾家電力公司的實時報告，約有二萬五千戶人家因為風雪而斷電。

麻州環境長（environmental secretary）畢頓（Matthew Beaton）表示，位於普利茅斯（Plymouth）的Pilgrim核電廠， 有兩條電力傳輸線壞了，無法把發出來的店傳送出去，但並無公共安全問題。

馬丁華殊昨日派出了七百多輛鏟雪車，巡迴各地，清理道路。下午三點時，他又再宣佈風雪禁止停車禁令繼續生效，直到另行通知為止。截至三點，共有1328通電話打到市長熱線求助，百分之百都在三十秒內有人接聽。廿八日將繼續停課。週四是否繼續停課，要看情況。

根據氣象局資料，這場名為朱諾（Juno）的大風雪是大波士頓地區經歷過的第三大風雪，截至昨日下午六點左右累積的降雪量，在屋斯特（Worcester）已達31吋。有許多華人聚居的艾克頓鎮（Acton）降雪量高達32.5吋，傅萊明罕鎮31.5吋。記錄到的最高風速，包括在南特基（Nantucket)每小時76哩，以及瑪莎葡萄園島的每小時74哩。

            鏟雪相關單位指出，道路上的雪實在太多了，已經有三輛鏟雪車壞了。

            昆士市早在廿六日中午就宣佈實施風雪停車禁令。昆士市長柯奇（Tom Koch）也在臉書上不斷報告最新情況，包括說明約有五十輛車被拖吊了。昨日下午四點左右他再宣佈，昆市公校廿八日停課，路邊收垃圾也暫停，由於潮水高漲，沿海地區的海街（Sea Street），昆士岸道（Quincy Shore Drive），南幹道（Soutern Artery）等這幾條街，暫時封閉。昆市消防局和警察局都為因應洪水待命。居民們如果沒事，儘量不要出門。如果有大量地區停電，市府將開放北昆士高中做緊急庇護所。民眾若需要與風雪有關的救援，可打電話617-376-1927，如果需要與水災有關的救援，可打電話617-376-1910。

            摩頓市在這場風雪中的反應處理也很快，廿六日就宣佈了，晚上六點起，實施風雪停車禁令。廿七日，市長辦公室的人照常上班。

圖片說明：

            廿七日，整個麻州道路禁行車輛，偶有不怕風雪的人上街，可以大搖大擺的走在大馬路中間。（菊子攝）

            波士頓市的降雪量沒有郊區那麼多，路邊的車輛也被雪埋起來了。（菊子攝）

            從鏟雪車推過處，可以看到雪堆積得多高。（菊子攝）

            不少家長拿出塑膠板，帶著小朋友在馬路上滑雪。（菊子攝）

            大鏟雪車在雪花紛飛中工作。（菊子攝）

松柏梅竹攜手 四校友會拉隊滑雪

南開校友會創會會長王忠（左二）等活動籌辦者合影。（圖由南開校友會提供）

            (Boston Orange) 依序以松柏梅竹為代表的北京大學新英格蘭校友會，波士頓南開校友會， 波士頓清華校友會及交通大學新英格蘭地區校友會，日前第三度攜手舉辦滑雪會，一百多人買得團體優惠票，遠征新罕布夏州柏子坡（Pats Peak）滑雪場，玩了個不亦樂乎。

            南開大學2005級周恩來政府管理學院的趙丹妮指出，包括本地南開校友創會會長王忠，清華校友會董事會主席周福民，交大校友會創會會長陳奮今等人，年參與協調，籌劃的熱心校友一樣很多，各自揪隊，組成大團，買上團體票，以優惠價格享受這冬天的戶外活動樂趣。

            許多身為師兄，師姐的校友，還發揮彼此扶助精神，不但接載沒車的師弟，師妹，還特意編排讓不同學校的校友們搭乘同一輛車，藉以促進校際間交流，增進跨校友誼。

南開校友會王忠（左四），清華大學校友會周福民（右三）等活動籌辦者合影。

（圖由南開校友會提供）

當天參加活動者，有人已是滑雪老手，有人還新鮮初學；有的人單獨前往，有的人全家同行，但無論是在初學者滑雪道上小心翼翼地試，或者是穿載齊全，在雪道上英姿颯爽的疾馳，校友們都興奮非常，彼此交換心得。帶了小朋友來的校友，還和小朋友們一起玩滑氣艇圈（tubing），一起尖叫，有如回到童年般，情緒高昂。跌倒了，就爬起來，摔跤了再來過。

趙丹妮笑說，滑雪這活動不僅是娛樂，還激勵人自我挑戰，勇往直前，就如同他們的“松柏梅竹”滑雪會會徽（logo）的設計，鼓勵著每一名滑雪者登上如同樹頂形狀的雪山，不斷超越。

            近年從中國來美留學，就業的人越來越多，陸續冒出頭的校友會也幾乎數不勝數。其中在台灣復校的清華及交大，從清華校長梅貽琦，交大校長淩竹銘兩人的姓名中各取一字，做兩校體育交流活動名稱，形成“梅竹賽”這頗為典雅的傳統。

            由於松竹梅在中國傳統文化中一向有歲寒三友之稱，而北大校長蔡元培以“松”骨氣概著稱，南開校長張伯苓如“柏”長青，大波士頓地區的前述四個校友會因此結為金蘭的以“松柏梅竹”稱呼四個校友會合作的活動。

            查詢四大校友會詳情，可上網，北京大學新英格蘭校友會（松）http://pkuaa-ne.org/，波士頓南開校友會（柏）https://sites.google.com/site/nankaialumniboston/，波士頓清華校友會（梅）http://www.tsinghua-boston.org/，交通大學新英格蘭地區校友會（竹）https://groups.google.com/group/JTUAlumniNE。

圖片說明：

            南開校友會創會會長王忠（左二）等活動籌辦者合影。（圖由南開校友會提供）

            南開校友會王忠（左四），清華大學校友會周福民（右三）等活動籌辦者合影。（圖由南開校友會提供）

乞臣街居民遭逼遷 華人前進會聲援

華人前進會與三十多名支持者，一月廿六日在華埠乞臣（Hudson）街103號前拉布條，呼籲業主，波士頓房屋局，以及社會大眾，支持華埠的穩定，繁榮，幫助遭逼遷華人，留在華埠。

華人前進會廿六日發出新聞稿，指乞臣街103號房東和波士頓房屋法庭下令租戶週三（廿八日）遷出承租處，以容許房東進行樓宇結構維修。但是大波士頓這兩天正好遇上歷史性的大風雪，簡直不可能搬家。

承租戶表示，他們需要更多時間搬家，而且臨時搬遷地點，得在華埠附近。他們也爭取一旦維修竣工，能夠搬回去原來租住的地方。

華人前進會表示，這些承租戶因為工作時間的關係，一旦遷離華埠，勢必失去工作及收入來源。

住在乞臣街103好的余艷蓉（譯音，Yannong Yu）表示，她在華埠工作，在華埠買雜貨，以華埠為家。一旦搬離，會不知道該怎麼辦才好，她很害怕。

華人前進會表示，一年多前，擁有該棟房屋已很多年的業主通知租戶得搬遷時，乞臣街103號居民就開始爭取繼續住在那兒。如今已一年多過去，情況很糟，只有一戶住宅有暖氣，每到冬天，水管就冰凍了，但房租每月七百到九百元，他們還負擔得起。

            華人前進會表示，一月十六日時，新房東以現金四十八萬元買了這棟樓，但躲在地產公司，以及第一薩福克律師樓背後，沒做必要的修理，顯然有意採取波士頓許多物業的處理方式，新業主要求房客遷出，以便維修，然後就拒絕讓原有承租房客回去住。第一薩福克律師樓的代表卡拉漢（Timothy P. O' Callaghan）在該物業被買下來以後，就不斷恐嚇承租戶。上週四，卡拉漢拿了一把大錘，把其中一名不讓他進房屋的租戶家的睡房房門敲穿了。上週他還告訴租戶的律師，那些租戶沒有權利一定要住在華埠。

            上週五，第一薩福克律師樓簽署了買賣合約，取得了相鄰的乞臣街101號。該棟房屋的租戶擔心他們會和鄰居一樣，也碰上同樣遭遇。他們決定爭取留在自己家，自己社區繼續居住的權利。

            華人前進會表示，乞臣街101，103好的情況是華埠的冰山一角。在鄰近地帶豪華化，數以千計的豪華住宅建造起來後，幾代移民家庭長期以來居住的排屋，在發展商虎視眈眈，房租不斷高漲下，越來越危險。

圖片說明：

            華人前進會及華埠居民們日前在乞臣街角拉布條，支持租戶爭取繼續住在華埠。（圖由華人前進會提供）

We continue to support the tenants of 101 and 103 Hudson Street for the RIGHT TO REMAIN and RETURN to their homes! Tenants are told to relocate on Wednesday. The landlord only offered to place tenants in a place and location that they are unfamiliar with. With language and cultural barriers, in an unfamiliar location, tenants will face difficulties in buying food and getting to work.

The governor and mayor declared a state of emergency. For the sake of safety, we are asking First Suffolk LLC to allow the tenants to stay in their homes until after the blizzard and to temporarily relocate tenants to a place in Chinatown! We found vacancies in the Milner Hotel in Chinatown at a comparable rate as the unfamiliar place, but the landlord refused to accept it as an option for this temporary relocation.
‪#‎WeShallNotBeMoved‬ ‪#‎RChinatown‬ ‪#‎RBoston‬ ‪#‎ChinatownGentrification‬

Emergency Relocation Protest: In face of epic blizzard, Chinatown tenants decry order to relocate by Wednesday

BOSTON, MA – Tenants at 103 Hudson Street, a brick rowhouse located in Chinatown were ordered to move out by Wednesday, are saying the order by their landlord and Boston Housing Court to move out by Wednesday to make structural repairs to the building is impossible with the impending historic snowstorm.  Tenants say they need more time, and if they are temporarily relocated, it needs to be in or near Chinatown.  Tenants also say they will fight to be able return to their homes once the repairs are made.

Because of their work schedules, they would lose their jobs and source of income if they had to move from Chinatown.  Today, tenants with more than 30 supporters held a speak-out in front of their home and held a banner that read, “We shall not be moved from Chinatown.”  Yannong Yu, tenant at 103 Hudson Street, said, “I work in Chinatown.  I buy my groceries in Chinatown.  Chinatown is my home.  Chinatown is my family.  If I have to move, I don’t know what I will do.  I am scared.”

Tenants at 103 Hudson Street have been organizing to stay in their homes for more than a year, when the longtime owners first told them to move. Conditions are bad--only one apartment had heat, and the water pipes freeze every winter, but the rent is what they could afford, at $700 to $900 a month.

On January 16, with the current landlords unable to make the necessary repairs, developers hiding behind real estate company First Suffolk LLC swooped in to buy the distressed property in a $480,000 cash sale.  As they have done with other properties across the city, the new owners said they would relocate tenants and refuse to allow their return after repairs.  Since acquiring the property, First Suffolk LLC representative Timothy P. O' Callaghan has continually intimidated the tenants and violated their rights.  This past Thursday, O’Callaghan took a sledgehammer to break open the bedroom door of a tenant who did not give him permission to enter.  He also told the tenants' attorney early last week, "They don't have a right to Chinatown!" referring to the tenants of the building. 

This past Friday, First Suffolk LLC also signed a purchase and sale to acquire the adjoining property at 101 Hudson Street.  Tenants their also fear that they will experience the same harassment and intimidation that their neighbors faced.  They have vowed to fight for the right to remain in their homes and in their neighborhood.  Community residents and supporters from the Chinese Progressive Association said they will stand with the tenants to help them remain in their homes.

“Chinese Americans over the past 150 years have worked hard to build Chinatown into a thriving community they can be proud of,” says Karen Chen, Organizing Director of the Chinese Progressive Association.  “Now that the community is a desirable place to live, developers like First Suffolk LLC are coming into the neighborhood looking to make a quick profit and pushing out working class families out of Chinatown.”

The issues at 101 and 103 Hudson Street point to larger issues at hand in Chinatown.  With the gentrification of the neighborhood and the influx of thousands of luxury housing units, the historic brick row houses that have been the homes for immigrant families for generations are being threatened by speculative developers and rising rents.  Once providing stable and inexpensive homes for immigrant working class families, these three and four-story row houses today are more likely crammed with two or three families sharing space to afford the rising rents.

Longtime Chinatown owners often cannot afford to maintain the properties and make the expensive repairs for these aging buildings.  Predatory developers are ready to scoop up distressed properties for cash, leading to displacement of Chinatown's most vulnerable families.  Meanwhile, community members have formed a Chinatown Community Land Trust that is trying to purchase and preserve row houses like these for affordable housing.